Arranging care and support for you, or a loved one, at home is becoming more usual, as more people realise the benefits of remaining independent in their own home. Care and support can range from personal care (help with washing, toileting and dressing) to more specialist care.
How to arrange care at home will vary depending on whether you require an amount of financial assistance, or decide to fund the cost privately. At Prestige Nursing + Care, we have many years’ experience with GPs and local NHS health care providers and local authority social services to ensure that the best choice for the care and
Understanding the type of care needed
Should you decide to fund care at home privately, you will need to understand the type of care and support you, or a loved one require. It’s important that the care and support you receive is individual to you. This will help inform the type of private nursing and care agency you choose.
Start by talking to your GP or local community healthcare team, who are regulated by your local Care Commissioning Group, or CCG. Your GP will make contact with your local council’s social services team to arrange an assessment of your care needs; they will also advise if you need more specialist care.
The social services team will also undertake a financial assessment to see if you are eligible for assistance. It is possible that the cost of the care you require may be funded, sometimes in full.
In England and Wales you may be required to make a financial contribution to your recommended care package, or to supplement the care and support by your local council, or CCG, by purchasing extra help from independent agencies, such as Prestige. (Prestige is also one of the approved agencies who provide highly qualified carers and registered nurses for local council and CCG teams.)
In Scotland there is no financial assessment for people aged 65 and over as the majority of care is provided free of charge.
Alternatively, you can choose to pay for your care privately, and use a company, such as Prestige.
Choosing a private care agency
Is the agency regulated?
It is important that you choose only a private care agency that is registered and regulated by the Government. There are four care regulators in the UK and all make inspection reports information available online.
- Care Quality Commission ‘CQC’ in England
- Care Inspectorate in Scotland
- Care and Social Services Inspectorate in Wales and
- Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority in Northern Ireland.
Each Prestige branch is regulated with the CQC; our sister company, Elite Care, is registered with the Care Inspectorate.
Who owns the agency?
Check who owns the private care agency. Some will be single branches of much larger companies, some will be independently owned and some will be franchised – this means they are managed locally but are controlled by the business model of another company, which could be overseas.
Prestige is a family-owned and managed business, based in Epsom, Surrey.
Does your GP, community health team, or local social services team know the agency?
Local social services teams will maintain a list of approved agencies with whom they work. Prestige is an approved social services agency.
Can anyone recommend the agency?
Check also review sites, such as www.homecare.co.uk and NHS Choices and speak with local residential care and nursing homes for recommendations.
What else should I check?
Before making a decision it is very important that you meet with the agency and understand how they work, and if they can provide the type of individual care and support for you, or your loved one.
You should also check the quality of their staff. What type of carer and registered nurse do they recruit? How many employment checks are made? Are all carers and nurses DBS checked? Will they provide references from current clients? If you employ your own care worker you should be aware of your potential obligations as an employer.
At Prestige, every member of our team undergoes a stringent set of checks and additional training before they can support and care for our clients.
Impartial advice and guidance for care at home
Prestige can provide impartial advice and support for you, or a loved one, to make the right choices for the type of care and support you need. See also our advice and tips under Advice & Support.
Please contact us to discuss your care and support needs. Our help and advice is impartial and without obligation. You can also contact one of our friendly local teams or call us on 0808 239 1525.
